Jimmy Dorsey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jimmy Dorsey
Dorsey in 1943
Background information
Birth name	James Francis Dorsey
Born	(1904-02-29)February 29, 1904 Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	June 12, 1957(1957-06-12) (aged 53) New York City, NY, U.S.
Genres	Big band swing Dixieland
Occupation(s)	Bandleader musician composer
Instruments	Saxophone clarinet trumpet
Years active	1920s–1957
Associated acts	Tommy Dorsey The California Ramblers The Dorsey Brothers The Charleston Chasers Dorsey's Novelty Six Andrew LaPrise

James Francis Dorsey (born February 29, 1904 – died June 12, 1957) was an American jazz musician. He was a talented clarinet player, saxophone player, composer, and big band leader.

Jimmy Dorsey helped create famous jazz and pop songs like "I'm Glad There Is You" and "It's The Dreamer In Me". He also had big hits with songs such as "Amapola" and "So Rare". He played clarinet on important jazz songs like "Singin' the Blues" (1927) and "Georgia on My Mind" (1930). These songs were so special that they were added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Jimmy Dorsey was born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, USA. He was the first son of Theresa and Thomas Francis Dorsey. His father, Thomas, was a music teacher and led a marching band. Both Jimmy and his younger brother, Tommy Dorsey, loved music from a young age.

By age seven, Jimmy was already playing with his father's band. He first performed in public when he was nine years old, playing the trumpet in New York in 1913. He later switched to the alto saxophone in 1915 and then learned to play the clarinet. Jimmy used a special way of playing the clarinet called the Albert system.

Forming Early Bands

Jimmy and his brother Tommy, who played the trombone, formed a band called Dorsey's Novelty Six. Later, they changed the name to Dorsey's Wild Canaries. This was one of the first jazz bands to be heard on the radio!

In 1924, Jimmy joined a group called the California Ramblers in New York City. Throughout the 1920s, he often played on the radio and made many recordings. Both brothers also played as musicians for other jazz recordings. In 1930, Jimmy toured Europe with Ted Lewis's band. That same year, he played clarinet on the famous song "Georgia on My Mind" with Hoagy Carmichael and his orchestra.

Jimmy Dorsey married Jane Porter in 1928, and they had a daughter named Julia. They divorced in 1949.

Music Career Highlights

In his early career, Jimmy Dorsey played with many different bands and artists. Some of these included the Scranton Sirens, The California Ramblers, and Paul Whiteman. He played the clarinet solo on the famous 1927 jazz song "Singin' the Blues". This song was later added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

After returning from his European tour, Jimmy worked with several bandleaders, including Rudy Vallée. He also worked with his brother Tommy, and together they started their famous band. Jimmy appeared on at least 75 radio shows, many of them with his brother.

The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra

In 1927, Jimmy and Tommy created the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. They signed a record deal with Okeh Records. For some of their recordings, Glenn Miller joined them as a trombone player and helped arrange their music. Their first song to become popular was "Coquette" in 1928. Their song "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)", sung by Bing Crosby, was their first to reach the top ten charts.

Even though they were successful, the brothers often argued about how to run the band. In May 1935, after an argument during a show, Tommy left the band. Jimmy continued the band and kept the name "Dorsey Brothers" hoping Tommy would come back. But in September 1935, the band officially became "Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra," and he signed with Decca Records.

In December 1935, Jimmy's first song with his new band, "You Let Me Down," became a hit. For the next two years, Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra played on Bing Crosby's radio show, Kraft Music Hall. They also played on Crosby's recordings. In 1936, Bing Crosby released the song "Pennies from Heaven" with Jimmy Dorsey's Orchestra.

Jimmy Dorsey's Solo Success

Jimmy Dorsey playing alto saxophone in The Fabulous Dorseys (1947)

Jimmy Dorsey left Bing Crosby in 1937 to focus on his own band. He became very successful. His main singer was Bob Eberly, who was considered one of the best. In 1939, Helen O'Connell joined the band, and their duets became very popular. They had a charming "boy and girl next door" style.

Many of their songs were arranged in a special way: Bob Eberly would sing a slow, romantic part, then the full band would play with Jimmy's saxophone solo, and finally, Helen O'Connell would sing a faster part, sometimes in Spanish. Almost every record they released from 1939 to 1943 was a hit! Their Latin American-style songs like "Amapola," "Maria Elena," and "Green Eyes" were especially popular, topping the charts in 1941.

After Helen O'Connell left in 1942, Kitty Kallen became a singer with Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra. Even with changes in band members, Jimmy remained one of the top big band leaders after World War II and into the 1950s. He always tried to keep his band's sound fresh, even as the big band music style started to become less popular.

The Brothers Reunite

Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey reunited on March 15, 1945, to record some songs together. In 1947, the brothers put aside their differences to make a movie called The Fabulous Dorseys. In the film, they played themselves and showed their lives from practicing as children to becoming famous musicians. The movie also showed their challenges leading the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra.

In 1953, Tommy and Jimmy officially renamed their band the "Dorsey Brothers Orchestra" again. Tommy was the main leader, but Jimmy was the co-leader and a featured soloist. On December 26, 1953, the brothers and their orchestra appeared on Jackie Gleason's TV show. This led to their own weekly TV show called Stage Show on CBS from 1954 to 1956.

The Stage Show helped other big band leaders, as their music was becoming less popular. In January 1956, the Stage Show made history by featuring Elvis Presley in his first network television appearance. Elvis made six guest appearances on the show.

Later Years and Legacy

Tommy (left) and Jimmy Dorsey in 1955

In 1956, Tommy Dorsey sadly passed away. Jimmy then took over leadership of the orchestra. Around the same time, Jimmy was diagnosed with throat cancer. He died on June 12, 1957, at age 53 in New York City.

At the time of his death, Jimmy's last hit song, "So Rare," reached number two on the Billboard charts. It was the highest-charting song by a big band during the early years of rock-and-roll music. This song showed Jimmy's attempt to connect with the new rock music sound. It sold 500,000 copies and earned him a gold record.

Jimmy Dorsey is remembered as one of the most important and influential alto saxophone players of the Big Band and Swing era. Other famous jazz saxophonists like Lester Young and Charlie Parker said he greatly influenced their music styles.

Movie Appearances

Jimmy Dorsey appeared in several Hollywood movies, often performing with his orchestra.

Some films he appeared in include:

• Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra (1938 short film)
• The Fleet's In (1942)
• I Dood It (1943)
• Four Jills in a Jeep (1944)
• Lost in a Harem (1944)
• Hollywood Canteen (1944)
• The Fabulous Dorseys (1947) – where he played himself alongside his brother Tommy.

Famous Compositions

Jimmy Dorsey wrote or co-wrote many songs. Some of his well-known compositions include:

• "Dixieland Band From Santa Claus Land"
• "Mood Hollywood"
• "So Many Times" – which reached number 20 on the Billboard charts in 1939.
• "John Silver" – which reached number 13 on Billboard in 1938.
• "Parade of the Milk Bottle Caps"
• "Contrasts" – his band's theme song.
• "Tailspin" – a classic jazz song.
• "I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary People)" – co-written with Paul Madeira in 1941.
• "Grand Central Getaway" – with Dizzy Gillespie.
• "It's the Dreamer In Me" – a jazz standard co-written with Jimmy Van Heusen.

Number-One Hits

Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra had eleven number-one hits in the 1930s and 1940s:

• "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?"
• "Change Partners"
• "The Breeze and I"
• "Amapola"
• "My Sister and I"
• "Maria Elena"
• "Green Eyes"
• "Blue Champagne"
• "Tangerine"
• "Besame Mucho"
• "Pennies from Heaven" (with Bing Crosby)

His biggest hit was "Amapola", which was number one for ten weeks in 1941.

As part of the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra in 1935, he also had two more number-one hits: "Lullaby of Broadway" and "Chasing Shadows".

Awards and Honors

In 1996, the U.S. Postal Service created a special postage stamp to honor both Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey.

In 2009, the Recording Academy added the 1942 recording of "Brazil (Aquarela do Brasil)" by Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Grammy Hall of Fame Awards

The Grammy Hall of Fame honors recordings that are at least 25 years old and are very important historically or for their quality. Jimmy Dorsey's recordings that have been added include:

Images for kids

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  Dorsey in 1943

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  Tommy (left) and Jimmy Dorsey in 1955

See also

In Spanish: Jimmy Dorsey para niños